A Structural Equation Modeling of the Relationship of Organizational and Socio-Economic Factors With Tendency to Suicide in Iranian Conscripts: The Mediating Role of Family Emotional Climate

Objectives :

The tendency to suicide in conscripts can be due to several factors, including organizational factors, socio-economic factors, and family emotional climate. The current study aims to develop a structural model to show the relationship of organizational and socio-economic factors with tendency to suicide in conscripts in Iran, considering the mediating role of family emotional climate.

Methods :

This is a descriptive-correlational study. The study population consists of all male conscripts of the Islamic Republic of Iran Police Force in 2021-2022. Of these, 1000 were selected by multi-stage cluster random sampling method from three provinces. The sample size was determined using Cochran’s formula. To collect data, the tendency to suicide scale based on the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicidal behavior, two researcher-made questionnaires of organizational and socio-economic factors, and Hilburn’s family emotional climate scale were used. Structural equation modeling (SEM), SPSS version 22, and Amos version 24 were used for data analysis.

Results :

The SEM model had an acceptable fit. The effect of organizational factors on the tendency to commit suicide mediated by the family emotional climate was significant and negative (β=-0.252, P=0.038). The effect of socio-economic factors on the tendency to suicide mediated by the family emotional climate was significant and negative (β=-0.267, P=0.002). The variables of organizational and socio-economic factors and family emotional climate together were able to explain 32.6% of variance in tendency to suicide. The organizational and socio-economic factors were able to explain 23.1% of variance in family emotional climate.

Conclusion:

 The organizational and socio-economic factors, by mediating role of family emotional climate, have a relationship with tendency to suicide in Iranian conscripts.